Severe weather warning upgraded to Met Office amber alert

A severe weather warning across the South West tonight has been heightened by the Met Office.The new alert is in addition to torrential downpours and strong winds battering the region and causing widespread havoc today and is expected to bring two inches of rain and possible flooding overnight.An area covered by Somerset, Bath and Dorset had received a yellow alert from the national weather service for 6pm on Sunday to 9am tomorrow.But that has now been upgraded to a more serious amber warning, which was previously covering only Devon and Cornwall.A Met Office spokesperson said: "The public should be prepared for an increased risk of both surface water and river flooding during this period."The Environment Agency also says there is an increased flood risk this evening and in the early hours of Monday.Poor visibility from heavy rain and surface water is already causing problems for drivers, with the M4 Second Severn Crossing and the M5 south of Bristol among the worst affected areas.